I am very pleased to report that in the space of two nap sessions today (boys napping, not Momma), I managed to piece together a quilt for Jackson AND a car seat blanket / quilt that is going to get gifted to someone at some point. I'm now waiting for the washer to finish so I can dry the car seat blanket and see if the ends have fringed like they are supposed to!
The blanket for Jackson is my first official attempt at quilting so I plan on finishing the quilting part by hand. Thank goodness I have my next disc of Judge John Deed in from Netflix so I have something to do while I'm watching TV.
Tomorrow, I plan to tackle a huge stack of baby gifts I am working on.
And, then I have to take the sewing machine back to my mother.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Time On My Hands (This has been sitting in Drafts since July 2011....oooops!)
Thanks to J being a very happy, cooperative baby yesterday, I did every single thing on my to do list which means that I am currently lounging in bed in my PJs, catching up on my online reading material, and listening to J giggle and laugh at something in his crib.
I have the entire day to do whatever sounds like fun. Since free days so rarely happen, I'm trying to compile a mental list of what J and I could do today. So far, it's looking pretty good. My only disappointment is that P had to work today. If all three of us were home, the day would be perfect because J loves having his dadddy home during the day...and I like it pretty well myself.
I had a really good conversation with an old friend yesterday. The kind of conversation that brings about clarity and revelation and resolution to some things that have been following me around for years. I know that getting older is a struggle for many people, but I am thankful for the aging / maturing process because it has made it easier to communicate and it has made it easier to wade through emotions that cloud issues and distort memories. Being older also has curbed a lot of my impulses. The ability to make myself stop and wait and really consider my actions PRIOR to taking them is also something I'm thankful for everyday. When I was younger, I would react in a split second to any kind of conflict or struggle and usually end up swinging to the opposite of what I thought I should do. It caused so many problems, strained so many relationships, and burned so many unnecessary bridges. It also allowed too many negative things to have acccess to my life. I wish I had taken the time to stop, detatch from my feelings (which can be quite deceptive), and truly evaluate what was going on, both within myself and around me. I can promise you that my life would look completely different.
And, that's not me detracting from the life that I have now. I love my son, my husband, my parents, my siblings, and my life in Oklahoma. I just wish I didn't have so many things that need to be addressed and dealt with in my heart and mind because of decisions I chose to make along the way. I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but, it's what weighs most heavily for whatever reason. I'm just thankful for the opportunity to work through it and hopefully, lay it to rest once and for all.
I have the entire day to do whatever sounds like fun. Since free days so rarely happen, I'm trying to compile a mental list of what J and I could do today. So far, it's looking pretty good. My only disappointment is that P had to work today. If all three of us were home, the day would be perfect because J loves having his dadddy home during the day...and I like it pretty well myself.
I had a really good conversation with an old friend yesterday. The kind of conversation that brings about clarity and revelation and resolution to some things that have been following me around for years. I know that getting older is a struggle for many people, but I am thankful for the aging / maturing process because it has made it easier to communicate and it has made it easier to wade through emotions that cloud issues and distort memories. Being older also has curbed a lot of my impulses. The ability to make myself stop and wait and really consider my actions PRIOR to taking them is also something I'm thankful for everyday. When I was younger, I would react in a split second to any kind of conflict or struggle and usually end up swinging to the opposite of what I thought I should do. It caused so many problems, strained so many relationships, and burned so many unnecessary bridges. It also allowed too many negative things to have acccess to my life. I wish I had taken the time to stop, detatch from my feelings (which can be quite deceptive), and truly evaluate what was going on, both within myself and around me. I can promise you that my life would look completely different.
And, that's not me detracting from the life that I have now. I love my son, my husband, my parents, my siblings, and my life in Oklahoma. I just wish I didn't have so many things that need to be addressed and dealt with in my heart and mind because of decisions I chose to make along the way. I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but, it's what weighs most heavily for whatever reason. I'm just thankful for the opportunity to work through it and hopefully, lay it to rest once and for all.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Paris 2005 - Part 8
Oh dear. Have no idea where June is getting away to! Apologizing for the slight pause on my memory lane trip. Back to Paris 2005....
Sacre Coeur! Wandering the neighborhood around Sacre Coeur was fascinating for a people watcher like myself. The buildings become much closer together and the "prettiness" around the Eiffel Tower fades away into the reality of people living their lives and going about their business. There were several little cafes and bakeries and most of the tourist shops were located in this neighborhood as well.
Very romantic city...in case you were wondering.
The only thing I did NOT like about Sacre Coeur were the French Algerians who lined the steps leading up to Sacre Coeur because it takes FOREVER to negotiate your way through the throngs of people trying to sell you things without getting caught up in the sales pitch or feeling like you are being pressed into the middle of a mob on slow days. I personally having found being willing to start saying the word, "Policier" in gradual volume increases does the trick of parting the crowd. You must be prepared to make a fool of yourself, however, because sometimes, it takes a while for an actual policeman to make his way over to you. And while we are on the subject of French policemen, can I just say that I find their uniforms the most dashing out of any policemen I have encountered on my world travels to date. Sadly, I was not able to think of a way to snap any pictures without making myself seem like a silly American. You'll just have to take my word for it. ;)
Sacre Coeur! Wandering the neighborhood around Sacre Coeur was fascinating for a people watcher like myself. The buildings become much closer together and the "prettiness" around the Eiffel Tower fades away into the reality of people living their lives and going about their business. There were several little cafes and bakeries and most of the tourist shops were located in this neighborhood as well.
Very romantic city...in case you were wondering. The only thing I did NOT like about Sacre Coeur were the French Algerians who lined the steps leading up to Sacre Coeur because it takes FOREVER to negotiate your way through the throngs of people trying to sell you things without getting caught up in the sales pitch or feeling like you are being pressed into the middle of a mob on slow days. I personally having found being willing to start saying the word, "Policier" in gradual volume increases does the trick of parting the crowd. You must be prepared to make a fool of yourself, however, because sometimes, it takes a while for an actual policeman to make his way over to you. And while we are on the subject of French policemen, can I just say that I find their uniforms the most dashing out of any policemen I have encountered on my world travels to date. Sadly, I was not able to think of a way to snap any pictures without making myself seem like a silly American. You'll just have to take my word for it. ;)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Paris 2005 - Part 7
As previously mentioned, I love traveling with my husband because he manages to find so many great spaces and places "off the beaten (tourist) path." One such place was a beautiful park on the outskirts of the city. We caught the metro to the end of the line and then walked about 10 min and almost out of nowhere, this beautiful green space around a lake emerges from the concrete and houses.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Paris 2005 - Part 6
Ah, the Louvre. I have been a total of three times now and have barely scratched the surface of what there is to see. The next time we go back, we want to block off the entire day and just wander from room to room, spending as much time as we want having a look. AND, while it was cool to see the Mona Lisa, it was not the most buzzworthy painting in the place, IMO.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Paris 2005 - Part 5
Prior to this trip, I had never heard of La Defense. I had noticed it on our previous trip to Paris from the top of Arch De Triumphe, but it didn't register long enough for me to want to find out what it was. Thankfully for me, I have a husband who likes to explore and this ended up being one of my favorite outings in Paris. Aside from the naked children at the public pool...the American in me was VERY uncomfortable with the whole idea!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Paris 2005 - Part 4
When it comes to hotels in Europe, it's pretty hit or miss, regardless of what the reviews may say. I ended up going WAY overboard on pictures of our hotel room during this trip because in the previous trip to Paris, we ended up staying at a hotel that had rave reviews, but was seriously lacking. I was SO excited to see that everything was clean, comfortable, and PRIVATE. I think this is the most beautiful hotel I have stayed in during all of my visits to date. The angel was a good sign!
There were little bottles of shampoo! Oh, the things we take for granted as American travelers.
Tub (not just a shower, but an actual tub)
This bed was HUGE. I think it was about 6.5 feet long (at least) and wide enough for a baby elephant to have a snooze.
Pete relaxing.
Hair dryer. I always feel like a poodle at a pet salon when I'm using one of these.
Posing.
Hotel lobby
Mural
Posing. Pete Style.
Oh yes. Be jealous of the awesome Pete Style Posing.
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